From Loath to Love
by Moxiegirl13
Summary: Buttercup hated Humperdinck more than anyone else. Humperdinck only knew the hunger for revenge. But when circumstances bring them together, can they find love in what seems an impossible partnership?
1. Chapter 1

~Humperdinck~

Prince Humperdinck paced back and forth in his study, his shoes clicking on the stone floor with every step. Whenever he was upset, the prince would pace. Back and forth, back and forth as if that would solve the problem. Today he had big problems to fix.

Dread Pirate Roberts and the Spaniard had killed his trusted advisor and friend Count Rugen, and stolen his bride (who he planned to murder anyway).

"Attaldon!" He called, and scurrying to the study came Count Rugens replacement.  
"Yes Your Highness?"

"I want every ship in my armada out looking for the Dread Pirate Roberts. I want him found and brought to me. Alive."  
"But Sire," Count Attaldon protested "what if Guilder decides to attack? We shall have no naval forces."

The prince looked away and drummed his fingers on his hardwood desk.  
"If I may Sire, you normally think of things like that. It's common sense really. I mean I -" Noticing the annoyed look on Prince Humpetdinck's face, Attaldon trailed off.

"Something is clouding your judgment. It's love isn't it? That filthy Pirate ran off with your bride. You miss her."  
Prince Humperdinck stared out the window. His heart squeezed in his chest. No it wasn't love. It was revenge. Every ounce of his being hungered for revenge.

"Yes. Love that's it." He lied,  
"I miss her terribly. My heart aches with every beat and it will continue to do so until she is safe in my arms once more."  
He scratched his chin thoughtfully before turning to Attaldon.  
"My four fastest. Send those." He muttered so quietly that Attaldon almost didn't hear him.

"Your wish is my command." He said, leaving the Prince to his pacing.  
Prince Humperdinck had never felt anything close to love. He didn't know what it felt like. The closest thing he had felt to love was the mild emotions he felt when his father had first become sick. Now Humperdinck waited impatiently for his father to die so he could take the throne.  
Rapid knocking was heard at his door. With a heavy sigh he opened it.  
"Good news Sire!" Exclaimed the ginger-haired man,(Humperdinck couldn't quite remember what his duties were) " We needn't send out your four fastest ships. We have found your princess!

"Yes, yes, and what about the Pirate?" He inquired, totally unfazed by the fact that his wife had been recovered.  
"He. He is dead Sire. He went into the fire swap and never came out. No body was found so we suspect that he got caught in the snow sand."  
"No!" Humperdinck cried, tearing a hand through his hair.  
"You mean the filthy pirate is dead and I have not the satisfaction of killing him myself?!"

The small red haired man looked extremely nervous as he twisted his hat in his hands.  
"Y-yes your majesty." He paused. "Would you like me to bring buttercup to you? I'm sure you both are quite anxious to be back in each others arms."  
The prince looked lost for a second, forgetting that no one knew he and Buttercup were not in love.

"Oh yes. Yes bring her to my chambers immediately." He said, waving away the man.  
"Leave me alone." He thought, "Leave me in my misery. Wesley is dead and not by my own hands. I will never be happy again."  
**I was thinking the next chapter would follow Buttercup. Thoughts? **


	2. Chapter 2

Buttercup entered Humperdinck's room, her skirts swishing around her ankles as she walked towards him. He looked around for an escort, but he saw none.

"You are not trying to run, my dear?" He asked, standing up and brushing himself off. He couldn't help but notice the smell of lilacs when she stood in front of him.

Buttercup gave him a stony glare and then replied, "I have nothing to live for anymore. I came to the conclusion that a fate worse than death would be living with you, and that is what I deserve. My true love is dead. I am dead."

Humperdinck stared at her before slowly beginning to clap his hands.  
"Well done my love. You win prize for most melodramatic woman in Florin." He grabbed her and led her to a chair where she sat without protest.  
"Now you listen to me," he began, standing in front of her.

"You are my wife. You running away with a pirate is not very good for the our public image. So I of course, being the good person I am, covered up for you. I told the public that you had been kidnapped by the Pirate against your will. You will go along with this."

Buttercup did not look him in the eye, but nodded yes as she gazed at the floor. Gone was the spunky woman who had dared to taunt him many months ago. In her place was a quiet, mellow woman who would do whatever he said, and as ridiculous as it sounds, a part of him missed the old Buttercup.

While the Prince told Buttercup of all her duties, Attaldon frantically knocked on the door.  
"What could you possibly need Attaldon!" The prince exclaimed. "Can you not tell I am spending time with my wife?" Humperdinck asked, opening the door.

Wife. The word made Buttercup cringe inside.  
"Yes Your Highness. I-I was sent to tell you that the public has been waiting to see their Princess."  
"Ah yes." Humperdinck smiled. "But ah, Attaldon, give my wife and I a moment before we give our appearance."  
"Of course." Attaldon replied, and was gone.  
"You now how you must act." Humperdinck said firmly, staring at Buttercup.

"Yes my love." She replied drily.  
Humperdinck clapped his hands together. "Brava my dear. Seems you've got the hang of it. Now lets go show Florin how in love we are."  
Led by Attaldon they stepped onto the balcony where multitudes waited below to see their princess.

"My people!" Humperdinck said, "I give you Buttercup, my bride. I cannot put into words how grateful I am she is alive, so instead, I shall show you."

In front of everyone he pulled her close to him. So close that she could feel his heart beating against her chest. Then, before she knew what was happening, his lips were pressed against hers. She wanted to fight him, to slap him, to push him away, but she had to pretend like she loved him with all her heart. So instead of slapping, and pushing him, she returned his kiss with vigor. As if she really meant it. She was such a good little actress that for a moment even she believed that she loved him.


	3. Chapter 3

~Buttercup~

Buttercup tossed and turned all that night. She was so thankful that Humperdinck did not insist they shared chambers- let alone a bed. He had given her a room of her own that was actually quite lovely.  
The silver of the moonlight shone against the pale blue walls as Buttercup's mind ran away with her.

She tossed and turned in the silk sheets thinking about the way that she had kissed Humperdinck. Guilt washed over her in tidal waves. "I could have convinced the people without kissing him so passionately." She thought to herself. She got out of bed and sat at the window seat. She gazed up out of the window at the diamond studded sky. As she looked upon the stars she realized that she had kissed Humperdinck more passionately than she had ever kissed Westley, and she was not even in love with him. Her heart broke at the thought.

"What is wrong with me?" She cried, covering her face in her hands and beginning to sob. She had no idea what had come over her, but she needed it to stop immediately. She wanted to return to the old Buttercup, but something deep inside her knew that the old Buttetcup was long gone.

~Humperdinck~

"Attaldon, would you fetch one of the handmaidens to brush out my brides hair and prepare her for bed? I had forgotten she has not been taken care of tonight. She has not gotten used to the castle routine and the servants aren't aware of their duties when it comes to her. Would you be so kind as to inform them?"

Attaldon nodded his head rapidly and scurried out the door, closing it roughly behind him.

With a sigh Humperdinck lowered himself into his chair. Why he had given all those orders was beyond him. Did he really care if she got her hair combed out before bed? The truth was yes. No matter how much he wanted to deny it. Some small part of him actually cared about another human being for once in his life.

As he began signing legal documents that needed his attention, he continually found his mind wandering to Buttercup.  
"Stop it you fool." He muttered to himself. "Was it not but a few nights ago that you were planning to kill her?"

"What was that?" Attaldon said , peeking his head around the door frame.  
"Uh. Nothing. It was nothing. I was, um. Writing a play." He said, coming up with the quickest excuse he could think of.

"A...play, your highness?" Attaldon asked, knitting his eyebrows together.  
"Yes a play." Humperdinck snapped.  
"And if you have a problem with it I can have you executed."  
Attaldon looked shocked.

"No Sire. I have no problem with it." He said, and then he was gone.  
When the sound of his footsteps died away Humperdinck settled back into his chair, trying to think of anything but Buttercup. When he ended up unsuccessful he decided to take a trip down to the kitchen an ordering someone to make him a sandwich.

When he opened his door there stood Buttercup, pale as death and trembling.  
"Buttercup, what could be the matter?" He asked, genuine concern filling his voice. She bit her lip and looked up at him.

"I am so confused. I so strongly dislike you... Yet I feel the need to be around you. If that even makes any sense."  
Humperdinck scratched his chin thoughtfully. "No it doesn't make much sense. But I have been feeling the same was towards you."  
They stared at each other for a moment before the prince cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Well. I suppose we could just wait and see what happens. Perhaps we could stop despising each other for a spell and accept that fate brought us together as husband and wife."

"It couldn't possibly hurt." Buttercup replied. Humperdinck smiled slightly and placed a hand on her cheek. She really was quite lovely. Slowly he tilted her face up and kissed her gently.

"Goodnight my queen." He said, opening the door.  
"Goodnight." She replied. When she got back to her room and crawled under the covers she found that sleep was coming easier. She pretended that it was because she had gotten some fresh air and not because of her visiting Humperdinck.


	4. Chapter 4

_Florin castle, Two months later _

Humperdinck and Buttercup had just returned from signing a peace treaty with Guilder. They had both bathed and retreated to their chambers, chambers that after a few months they had decided to share.

Humperdinck held her close and she breathed in the musky smell of leather and pine that was solely Humperdinck.

"I'm so sorry Buttercup." He whispered. "For the way I treated you, for the things I did...for everything. I didn't know how to love. My parents didn't love me, no one did. All I knew was the thirst for revenge. That is, until I met you. When I first saw you I knew that this wasn't going to be easy, guarding my heart like I always have before."

"I forgive you." She said. "I have to admit that I hated you with a passion. I wanted nothing more than to see you die a horrid death..." Humperdinck looked shocked but tried to hide it lest he insult Buttercup. "Oh I, don't feel that way now." She said, blushing. "I should have gotten to know you before I jumped to such conclusions. I forgive you for everything, although its taken me a long time to get to that point."

She reached up and caressed his face. "I love you."

Humperdinck couldn't hold it in any longer. He backed away from her. "I was plotting to kill you." He blurted. She blinked and stared at him. "What?"

"When Westly was still alive and we were to marry. I planned to kill you and blame it on Guilder. I'm so sorry my love...I. I have nothing else to say. If you wish never to see me again, then I do not blame you. But know this, I am a different man now. I love you more than life itself and want to be the kind of husband you deserve."

She continued to stare at him, her blue eyes wide. She started giggling and placed her hand over her mouth, attempting to muffle the giggles. Humperdinck looked taken aback. "What is so funny?"

"You think I knew not that you were planning to kill me? I was _kidnapped _by a giant, a Spainiard and a Sicilian who aparantly thought me to be deaf, because they often spoke of their plans to kill me and blame it on Guilder. It did not take me long to figure out that it was you behind all that. That was one of the reasons I hated you with such a passion. It took me months after Westly's death in the fireswamp to let go of all the things I held against you. I have forgiven you dear Humperdinck, for all of your transgressions. The past is the past my love. I _love _you and I shall until the day I die. Just promise me one thing?"

Humperdinck took both her hands in his and stared into her eyes. "Anything my dear. You name it and it shall be done."

She bit her lip and gazed up at him, the picture of manliness. "Promise me that you will always kiss me like you do today." A smile spread across his face as he took his wife into his arms and kissed her. "Of course." He said brushing her cheek with his hand. "As long as I am able, I shall kiss you better than any man has ever kissed a woman.

Little did Humperdinck know that the kiss he and Buttercup shared numbered high on the list of _The Worlds Greatest Kisses_. I shall not disclose any numbers, but I will say this: it was way up there.


End file.
